Pomander is a decorative cardigan to warm a special baby. The cabled swags trimming the seed-stitch yoke recall celebratory buntings, and optional subtle cables travel down the sleeves for a bit of extra style. The intricate details in this design make it at least an adventurous intermediate-level project, and you’ll have to work from a chart for the yoke, but all symbols and techniques like the i-cord bind-off and provisional cast-on are fully explained with text or video links.

Pomander is knit from the bottom up in one piece. Stitches are cast on provisionally for sleeves to work yoke, then picked up and knit in the round to the cuff. This allows you to adjust the sleeve length as desired (and gets you to the fun part more quickly after all that stockinet!). Tips, tricks, and “knitter’s choice” options are sprinkled throughout the pattern.

The cardigan is designed to fit snugly but comfortably, with an inch or two of positive ease.

Materials:Yarn: 400 (450, 520, 600) yds Oceanwind Knits BFL Fingering or other light fingering-weight wool. A solid or nearly solid color is recommended to show the yoke pattern to best advantage. You may wish to substitute a superwash wool if the recipient doesn’t belong to a knitter.

Needles: 3.00mm 24” circular for body and double-pointed needles (or a second circular, or a longer circular for magic loop, as desired for working sleeves in the round) or size needed to obtain gauge

Notions: 7 (6, 6, 6) 1/2” buttons Instructions are also given for a 9-button closure in the largest size, if you prefer that look and think you can immobilize a toddler long enough to fasten so many.